Apparatus for immersing articles such as computer discs in a violently agitating electroplating bath have been described in detail in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,523 dated May 14, 1985. Computer discs are typically made of an aluminum substrate having an electrodeposited nickel plate intermediate layer and a surface layer of magnetic read/write material sputtered onto the nickel plate. Although the apparatus shown and described in my prior patent is generally suitable for electroplating computer discs, in recent years computer discs are increasingly becoming of smaller size and therefore are of considerably lighter weight. Lightweight articles are much more likely to move in a violently agitating electroplating bath on the dowels on which they are supported. Also, disc support dowels must be easily removed from the apparatus for unloading plated discs and reloading unplated disc substrates for electroplating with a minimum of effort and associate time which is involved. In my prior apparatus, spaced wheels at opposite ends of the immersible disc support carousel were connected to each other by a plurality of tie rods to maintain the discs in spaced relationship. These tie rods interfered with quick removal and placement of the support dowels with a fresh batch of discs to be coated. Also, the lighter weight smaller diameter discs of today's computer apparatus require the dowels to be positively locked in place at either side of the carousel like my prior apparatus where a dowel removal gap in a C-shaped dowel keeper ring was left uncovered.
In addition, the carousel support bearings must be frequently be replaced due to wear and rapid degradation in the electroplating bath.